Dialogue with stakeholders
One of the distinguishing features of Rabobank's approach to corporate
social responsibility is that it seeks to hold a dialogue with stakeholders on
social trends and issues. This has the chief result of enabling Rabobank
and its employees to deal, in a practical and professional manner, with
dilemmas that may arise as part of the provision of services, and thus take
responsible decisions in this area.
Stakeholders of Rabobank Group
www.rabobank.com/dialogue;www.rabobank.com/ethics
The issues that truly matter to Rabobank depend on the issues raised by our stakeholders: our
clients, our employees, and civil society groups. Policy and practices at Rabobank are affected
by our dialogue with stakeholders. The groups of stakeholders that have been identified are
clients, employees, consumer interest groups, government agencies and civil society groups.
Dialogue about issues that matter
The materiality principle forms the starting point for our dialogue with stakeholders.This means
that Rabobank wants to enter into a dialogue on matters that have a major impact on the
bank, its stakeholders and society at large. We actively involve stakeholders in our policy and
services. For example, members' councils and youth councils of local Rabobanks are involved
in policy-making and services, CSR policy is discussed with employee representation bodies,
and civil society organisations are involved in the development of the Food Agribusiness
Principles and policy on value chains. Rabobank also held extensive consultations with civil
society organisation that called for attention to be paid to social issues, such as renewable
energy and the arms industry.
Looking ahead to 2020
Rabobank holds consultations with external stakeholders every three years so that it can
identify and respond to social trends swiftly. In 2009, it consulted leading representatives of
clients, the government, non-governmental organisations, the academic community and
Rabobank itself. The main issue under consideration was what the world will look like in 2020
and beyond, in terms of renewable energy, clean technology, social regeneration and the
introduction of sustainability in food and agri chains. In 2010, the Executive Board and
Cooperative Affairs Committee of the Supervisory Board will discuss the main recommendations
put forward by the participating experts within the context of future CSR policy.
Dialogue on introducing sustainability in value chains
Rabobank supports concrete initiatives for introducing sustainability to food and agri chains by
participating in sector-wide national and international talks. Examples include the UN Global
Compact, the UN Environmental Programme Finance Initiative, the Dutch Sustainable Trade
Initiative (IDH), and the various Round Tables on sustainable production chains, such as RSPO
(palm oil), the RTRS (soy), BSI (sugar) and the BCI (cotton). In 2009, Rabobank International
and Rabobank Foundation consolidated their partnership aimed at providing Rabobank
International clients with support in organising sourcing of agricultural products from small
farmers in developing countries.
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Report 2009 Rabobank Group
